Level-graded English lessons with reading, listening, activities, and discussion.
Lesson Info
Lesson Content
Warm-up, Vocab List, Reading and Audio
Understanding: Main Idea, True or False, Multiple Choice
Language: Words That Go Together, New Sentences
Use It: Discussion Builder, Discussion Questions
Answers
(1) When you hear about a serious crime in the news, what do you want to know first?
(2) Do you like mushrooms?
Vocab List
Australian woman Erin Patterson has lost her appeal against three murder convictions. The court also agreed with prosecutors that her punishment was too light and changed her sentence to life in prison without parole.
The case began with a lunch Patterson hosted at her home in Victoria in July 2023. She served beef Wellington, a dish of beef wrapped in pastry. It contained poisonous death cap mushrooms. Her husband's parents and his aunt died. Patterson and her husband were no longer together. The aunt's husband survived, and Patterson was also convicted of attempting to murder him.
Patterson said the poisoning was an accident. However, she was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison, with the right to apply for parole after 33 years. Parole allows prisoners to leave prison under certain conditions.
Patterson's lawyers argued that her trial had been unfair and asked for her release or a new trial. However, the Court of Appeal rejected her appeal.
Prosecutors also argued that the deliberate killings deserved a tougher sentence. Judge Stephen McLeish described the crimes as “cold and calculated.” The court agreed and removed Patterson's right to apply for parole. This means she will have no chance of release through parole.
Mushroom Murderer
(1) When you hear about a serious crime in the news, what do you want to know first?
(2) Do you like mushrooms?
-
appeal (n.)
-
conviction (n.)
-
prosecutor (n.)
-
sentence (n.)
-
parole (n.)
-
release (n.)
-
poisonous (adj.)
-
trial (n.)
-
deliberate (adj.)
-
calculated (adj.)
Australian woman Erin Patterson has lost her appeal against three murder convictions. The court also agreed with prosecutors that her punishment was too light and changed her sentence to life in prison without parole.
The case began with a lunch Patterson hosted at her home in Victoria in July 2023. She served beef Wellington, a dish of beef wrapped in pastry. It contained poisonous death cap mushrooms. Her husband's parents and his aunt died. Patterson and her husband were no longer together. The aunt's husband survived, and Patterson was also convicted of attempting to murder him.
Patterson said the poisoning was an accident. However, she was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison, with the right to apply for parole after 33 years. Parole allows prisoners to leave prison under certain conditions.
Patterson's lawyers argued that her trial had been unfair and asked for her release or a new trial. However, the Court of Appeal rejected her appeal.
Prosecutors also argued that the deliberate killings deserved a tougher sentence. Judge Stephen McLeish described the crimes as “cold and calculated.” The court agreed and removed Patterson's right to apply for parole. This means she will have no chance of release through parole.
Main Idea
Choose one answer, then click CHECK to see your result.
Main Idea
Choose one:
- Patterson's appeal failed, and the court made her punishment more severe. Correct answer
- Patterson's appeal raised concerns about the fairness of her murder trial.
- Patterson's appeal focused on evidence that the poisoning was deliberate.
True or False
Answer each question by selecting True or False, then click CHECK to see your results.
True or False
1. Patterson and her husband were no longer together when she hosted the lunch for his relatives. TRUEFALSE True
2. Patterson was convicted of attempted murder because her husband's father survived the poisoning. TRUEFALSE False
3. Patterson's lawyers asked for her release or a new trial because they argued that her trial had been unfair. TRUEFALSE True
4. After the appeal, Patterson still had the right to apply for parole after 33 years. TRUEFALSE False
Multiple Choice
Answer each question by selecting A, B, or C, then click CHECK to see your results.
Multiple Choice
1. Why was the beef Wellington important to the case?
a) It was the dish one of the guests brought to the lunch.
b) It contained the poisonous mushrooms that killed three guests.Correct
c) It was the dish Patterson prepared during the court's investigation.
2. How did Patterson's explanation differ from the court's view?
a) She said the poisoning was accidental; the court found it deliberate.Correct
b) She said a guest prepared the food; the court found she prepared it.
c) She said the mushrooms caused the deaths; the court found another cause.
3. Why did prosecutors ask the appeal court to change Patterson's sentence?
a) They argued that the sentence should include a further trial.
b) They argued that the sentence should reflect her claim of an accident.
c) They argued that the deliberate killings deserved a tougher punishment.Correct
Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:
Australian woman Erin Patterson has lost her appeal against three murder convictions. The court also agreed with prosecutors that her (1) was too light and changed her sentence to life in prison without parole.
The case began with a lunch Patterson hosted at her home in Victoria in July 2023. She served beef Wellington, a dish of beef (2) in pastry. It contained poisonous death cap mushrooms. Her husband's parents and his aunt died. Patterson and her husband were no longer together. The aunt's husband (3) , and Patterson was also convicted of attempting to murder him.
Patterson said the poisoning was an (4) . However, she was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison, with the right to apply for parole after 33 years. Parole allows prisoners to leave prison under certain conditions.
Patterson's lawyers argued that her trial had been unfair and asked for her release or a new trial. However, the Court of Appeal (5) her appeal.
Prosecutors also argued that the deliberate killings deserved a (6) sentence. Judge Stephen McLeish described the crimes as “cold and calculated.” The court agreed and removed Patterson's right to apply for parole. This means she will have no chance of release through parole.
Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio and complete the gaps below:
Loading listening activity...
Words That Go Together
Drag each word to its match below, or select a word and then select its match:
Loading vocabulary activity...
Words That Go Together
Match each word with the words it goes with:
1. murdere) conviction
2. lifed) sentence
3. applyc) for parole
4. findb) someone guilty
5. faira) trial
a) trial
b) someone guilty
c) for parole
d) sentence
e) conviction
New Sentences
Choose the best word for each new sentence.
-
The lawyer prepared her {blank} after finding mistakes in the judge's original decision.
-
The judge gave the burglar a five-year {blank} for stealing valuable paintings.
-
While on {blank}, he had to report to an officer every week.
-
Several witnesses described the robbery during the {blank}, before the jury reached its decision.
-
The factory must stop {blank} chemicals from entering the town's drinking water.
-
The footballer received a red card for a {blank} kick at another player.
New Sentences
appeal / conviction / deliberate / parole / poisonous / prosecutor / sentence / trial
- The lawyer prepared her after finding mistakes in the judge's original decision.
- The judge gave the burglar a five-year for stealing valuable paintings.
- While on , he had to report to an officer every week.
- Several witnesses described the robbery during the , before the jury reached its decision.
- The factory must stop chemicals from entering the town's drinking water.
- The footballer received a red card for a kick at another player.
Discussion Builder
1) Example 2) Condition
Q: How can people who host meals make sure the food is safe for their guests?
A:Q: Would you eat wild mushrooms that a friend had picked?
A:
Discussion Builder
Choose the best phrase for each gap:
Q: How can people who host meals make sure the food is safe for their guests?
A: Hosts should keep food at safe temperatures. they should keep raw meat in the fridge until they're ready to cook it.
For example, / However,
Hosts should keep food at safe temperatures. For example, they should keep raw meat in the fridge until they're ready to cook it.
Q: Would you eat wild mushrooms that a friend had picked?
A: I wouldn't eat the mushrooms an expert had checked that they were safe. My friend's opinion alone wouldn't be enough.
because / unless
I wouldn't eat the mushrooms unless an expert had checked that they were safe. My friend's opinion alone wouldn't be enough.
Discussion Questions
- What was your first reaction to this story?
- Do you think life in prison without parole is the right sentence in this case?
- What should prisoners have to do before they can be released on parole?
- Why do you think stories about real crimes attract so much attention?
- Would you want to watch a real trial in court?
- How can people who host meals make sure the food is safe for their guests?
- Would you eat wild mushrooms that a friend had picked?
- What dish would you choose to cook for a special lunch with guests?
Discussion Questions
- What was your first reaction to this story?
- Do you think life in prison without parole is the right sentence in this case?
- What should prisoners have to do before they can be released on parole?
- Why do you think stories about real crimes attract so much attention?
- Would you want to watch a real trial in court?
- How can people who host meals make sure the food is safe for their guests?
- Would you eat wild mushrooms that a friend had picked?
- What dish would you choose to cook for a special lunch with guests?
Answers
Listening: (1) punishment, (2) wrapped, (3) survived, (4) accident, (5) rejected, (6) tougher
Main Idea: Patterson's appeal failed, and the court made her punishment more severe.
True or False:
- True. The story says Patterson and her husband were no longer together. The lunch guests included his parents, his aunt and her husband.
- False. Her husband's father died. His aunt's husband survived, and Patterson was convicted of attempting to murder him.
- True. Her lawyers challenged the fairness of the trial, but the Court of Appeal rejected her appeal.
- False. Her original sentence allowed her to apply after 33 years. The appeal court removed that right, leaving her with life in prison without parole.
Multiple Choice: b, a, c
Vocabulary:
- murder: conviction
- life: sentence
- apply: for parole
- find: someone guilty
- fair: trial
New Sentences: 1. appeal; 2. sentence; 3. parole; 4. trial; 5. poisonous; 6. deliberate
Discussion Builder:
Hints: 1) Example. 2) Condition.
- For example,
- unless